1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery residual capacity display and operating device for an electric vehicle for displaying, on a portable display means which is outside the electric vehicle, the residual capacity of a traveling battery mounted in the vehicle and operating certain functions of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A portable battery residual capacity display device for an electric vehicle has already been proposed by the present assignee in Japanese Patent Application No. 14366/92 (which corresponds to pending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/328,558). By that portable battery residual capacity display device, it is possible not only to monitor the residual capacity and charged state of the battery, but also to monitor the operational state of an air conditioner and to signal an alarm if the vehicle is about to be stolen, all from a place remote from the vehicle.
In the above prior art electric vehicle, a traveling key corresponding to an ignition key for a vehicle including an internal combustion engine is required, and there is the disadvantage that an electric vehicle's owner must carry about both the portable display means and the traveling key.